Facing Demons
by the gunby kid
Summary: The mines of Moria force Legolas to confront his demons. Chapter 3 up.
1. Demons Revealed

Title: Facing Demons

Rating: PG

Archiving: Ask first, please

Summary: A brief moment of peace reveals the_ real_ reason Legolas didn't want to go into Moria.

A/N: This is my first attempt at LotR fic. This is kind of the prompting into a bigger piece of work which I'm just starting to work on. Keep your eyes out for the prequel.

***

Legolas stared into the fire. It was not his turn to watch, though he should have been helping since dreams would not be finding him this night. At first light the Fellowship would make for Moria, the mines of lore and legend. The elf had voiced his opinion on this route, but he had been out voted. 

There were few things that made Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood nervous, but Moria was one of them. Dark were the tales of old of the mines, those sung in legend and those written in lore. It would be four days in the caverns, four days without sunlight or fresh air. 

Four days underground. Sealed in darkness, the air growing stale and heavy as it was used and not recycled. The dark corners closing in slowly as time passed, small dark spaces getting smaller and darker.

Legolas startled at the familiar hand that settled on his shoulder. He had not heard Aragorn's approach, so lost was he in memory.

"You are troubled?" the Man asked softly in Elvish. The others were close and dozing lightly and the Ranger had no wish to disturb the little rest they could get.

"Aye," Legolas answered just as softly. 

"The mines." It wasn't a question.

"Aye," Legolas whispered again, ducking his head, trying to hide his fear. The elf knew the Man was aware of this weakness within him. Twenty years and still it haunted him. Trapped in darkness, injured and unable to get out, buried alive, alone.  All enclosed spaces terrified him for some time after that. Aragorn, Elladan, and Elrohir had taken turns sleeping out of doors with him, on the nights that he couldn't face his guest room at Imladris. 

The brush of blunt fingers against his cheek made him raise his head and meet the eyes of the Dúnedan. "You are not alone this time, _mellon nîn_," Aragorn continued to whisper in the elf's native tongue, knowing Legolas would hear even the softest utterances. "You will not be lost in the darkness again. I will not let it happen." 

Legolas nodded, lowering his gaze again. He should not be afraid of such petty things as the dark. 

"We all have our demons, Legolas," Aragorn chided softly as the elven prince tried to hide his feelings again. "And we need not face them alone." The Man squeezed his friend's shoulder again before rising and continuing his patrol around the small camp. 

Legolas had no time to ponder more on the Man's words, for the Wargs chose that moment to return. 

Translation: _mellon nin: my friend_


	2. Demons Confronted

A/N: This part has allusions to a sexual relationship between consenting adult male elves. Nothing explicit, but the idea is there. Just warning you. 

Also, forgive the Elvish. I'm still finding my sources, so I'm not completely sure on the sentence structure, if it can even be called that. I'm trying, though.

*~*~*

It was nightfall when the Fellowship reached the entrance to Moria. Legolas stood away from the group as they unloaded Bill the pony, trying to find some semblance of calm before following Gandalf into the mines. 

Of course, the Istari had to figure out how to enter. A small smile graced the elf's fair features despite himself. Legolas had an inkling of how to open the gates, but he wasn't about to speak up. The longer it took Gandalf, the longer he could be out in the open, under the stars, even in the wasteland surrounding the gates. It was a selfish delay, but knowing the old wizard, it would not take him long.

Without thinking about the action, the elf reached for the chain about his neck, hidden under the light tunic he wore. With a light tug, a ring popped free of the shirt's collar. The mithril ring hung on the chain for a beat before it was taken in hand, grasped tightly. 

Something of Elladan still clung to the ring, some piece of his eternal flame served to set the ring slightly aglow in the darkness. It had been the ring, forged of the lightest yet strongest metal of Arda, that had seen him trapped in darkness the first time. Now, Legolas thought, it would be the object to see him through the dark.

Estel said he would not let it happen again. Legolas had to believe him. He could not allow his fear to impede him. 

"_Mellon_," Gandalf's voice traveled to the elf's sensitive ears. 

Closing his eyes for a brief instant, Legolas took a deep breath, tucked his ring into its place under his tunic and moved to join the Fellowship. 

*~*~*

Pieces of the walls came down, blocking the door. Legolas schooled his features, not letting his terror show as the rocks crashed into each other and the floor, blocking off even the murky light of the stars that shone from outside. They had no choice now but to go forward. 

Trying to still the sense of panic that was threatening to burble up from the depths of his being and overwhelm him, the blonde elf took slow, deep breaths. Despite the blood rushing in his ears, he heard Aragorn's approach and accepted the Man's light touch on his shoulders.

"Be calm," Aragorn said softly in Elvish. "You are shaking."

"_Im na grogant_," Legolas replied, barely above a whisper, admitting it for the first time. He was terrified.

The hands tightened on his shoulders. "You are not alone," Aragorn continued to speak soft Elvish to keep the others from noticing the Prince's distress. "I am with you here." Another squeeze of shoulder emphasized the Man's presence. "And Elladan his here." One hand moved to cover the elf's heart where the ring lay beneath layers of clothing. "Let his love for you be your light in this darkness, _mellon nin_. I am with you as well. You are not alone here, Legolas."

A bit down the path a faint glow began to emerge from Gandalf's staff. In the growing light, Aragorn stepped back from his friend. Legolas was no longer shaking, and was breathing a bit easier, the panic attack fended off.

"Stay close to Mithrandir," Aragorn muttered as he stepped away to join up with the group.

Legolas nodded. He had every intention of doing just that. If he could see, he would be all right. Quickly, he pulled the chain from around his neck and loosed the chain, sliding the ring onto his finger. The light would shine better unhindered, he thought.  Hastily, he shoved the chain into a pocket as he followed Estel back to the group and began the decent into Moria.

_Translation: Im na gronant: I am terrified._

_                          Mellon nin: my friend._


	3. Demons Overcome

A/N: Translations at the bottom. I think there will be one more chapter to this.  Once again, a warning, there are reference to a relationship between two consenting male adult elves. If this squicks you, don't complain, you have been warned. Book verse, and references to the "creation" of the Balrogs taken from the Silmarillion.

*~*~*

Legolas thought he had known terror when the entrance to Moria had been blocked and the Fellowship left with no choice but to pass through the mines. He thought he had his panic under control until the Orc attack, and during the attack he had had something else to focus on. In the ensuing darkness, the adrenaline and faint glow emanating from his body helped him keep his emotions in check.

And then the Balrog appeared. 

Legolas had heard of the demon before, a servant of Morgoth, described as being cloaked in flame and shadow by one whom had defeated such a creature at the cost of his own life, before being sent back from the Halls of Mandos to continue his life on Middle Earth. He had never expected to see one; he thought they had all been stricken from the earth. 

The shock of seeing the creature made the archer's resolve crumble and he cried out, the arrow he was setting fell from his hands, the clatter of it sounding loud only to the one that had dropped it. 

Legolas stood rooted to the spot in terror as the glowing demon leapt the fissure, the barbed tail of flame whipping around behind it.

"Over the bridge!" Gandalf called, urging the nine towards the Bridge of Khazad Dum. 

The terrified elven prince didn't move. The walls were starting to close in on him, the air becoming heavy and oppressive. His breath started coming in short rapid gasps, the natural glow of his kindred fading. The memories were flashing back to him; the walls were caving in, the Orcs above shooting arrows down at him, helpless to defend himself. The wargs sniffing around at night, growling down at the injured elf, sensing their prey but not being able to reach it.

"_Noro,_ Legolas, _noro!_" Aragorn yelled in Elvish directly into his sensitive ears, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. He continued to yell at the elf in his native tongue as he ran, trying to break the thrall that captured the immortal being. "_Ucaro anno vi,_ Legolas_! Noch uerui! Maetho i duath! Maetho, mellon-nin!"_

'Let his love be your light in the darkness' Legolas remembered Aragorn's earlier words as he allowed himself to be pulled along. A flash of silver on his thumb caught his eye; Elladan's ring, shining even in the dim light of the cavernous abandoned city. Hope flared within him for a brief moment. The promise of Elladan's love had kept him alive once before, it could save him again. 

Legolas met Aragorn's gaze as even as they ran, and when he saw the relief in the Man's eyes, he quickened his step, catching up with the rest of the Fellowship as they crossed the bridge of Khazad Dum.

The silence was almost deafening until Gandalf broke it, facing down the demon. Legolas watched as Mithrandir called on the power of the sun to fend of the creature of flame and shadow. Then he stared in shock as the wizard was pulled over the edge of the splintered bridge by the Balrog.

Once again, the elven archer was rooted in place as the entire Fellowship watched their companion fall. It was only at Aragorn's prompting and the omnipresent threat of the Orcs that they fled, leaving the fallen behind.

Translation (please forgive, I'm doing my best): 

_Noro:_ Run

_Ucaro anno vi_: Do not give in. 

_Noch uerui_: You are not alone. 

_Maetho i duath_: Fight the darkness. 

_Maetho mellon-nin_: Fight, my friend.


End file.
